AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Raya bathed both knees, which stung like hell, slathered them with antiseptic cream and covered them with large plasters. She frowned as she took my right palm and studied the damage. Then, pulling a pair of tweezers from the box, she removed pieces of gravel from it and my left hand.
“Your fingers aren’t injured, so this shouldn’t affect your work, but let me know if it does.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ve had worse working on a cattle station. I can’t believe I was so clumsy. It’s not like me at all.”
“It happens.” Raya cleaned both hands, applied the cream, and wrapped them in light bandages that would still allow movement.
After noting what she’d used so it could be replaced by the OH&S team, she packed the kit away and washed her hands. Taking a clean tea-towel from a drawer, she ran it under water and used it to clean my face before wiping a few spots off my dress. I added another mental note to pick up a thank you card and a small gift for all she’d done.
“Okay, ready to meet everyone? After that, I’ll get you up to HR so you can sign off on the paperwork.”
“Lead the way.” Feeling halfway human, although my knees and hands hurt like crazy, I walked with Raya to the area where I’d be working. Numerous desks with short screens giving privacy were topped with desktop computers and filing trays.
Almost all the desks were taken but Raya pointed out the one that would be mine. She then introduced me to people seated at the two nearest desks.
Colin was the first person I met and the way he ran his eyes over me sent a shiver down my spine. After that, I’d be sure to never be alone with the man who must have been at least thirty years my senior. Something about the way he looked at me made my skin crawl. Raya didn’t seem too interested in talking with the man and turned towards a pretty girl of Pacific Islands appearance who was about my age.
“This is Della Quinn, but she likes Del. Del, this is Elizabeth Flynn.”
“Liz,” I corrected, holding up my hands when she held one of hers out to shake. “Nice to meet you.”
Della noted the bandages on my hands and her eyes widened. “Are you okay? What happened?”
“The building’s front steps and I decided we didn’t agree with each other. I’m fine, just not used to wearing heels.”
“Damn, and on your first day.”
“Consolation is I can only go uphill from here.”
“True. Well, welcome; you’ll love working for Hudson.”
“Thanks.”
“Where’s Patrick, Del?”
“He’s taken Murphy up to HR.”
“Patrick is looking after settling Murphy in while I’ll be training you, Liz,” Raya explained.
“Thank you.”
“Owen in his office, Del?”
Del nodded. “Isn’t he always? I swear the man lives in there. It must drive Hudson nuts not having him upstairs.”
“You’re not wrong, he’s as bad as the boss, but since they’re best friends, and glued at the hips, it’s to be expected. I’ll take Liz to meet him.”
Raya directed me to the boss’s office and knocked on the door frame since the door stood open. When the man behind the desk lifted his head, I felt every drop of blood drain from my face. It seemed I could still slide further downhill. I couldn’t believe one of the men from the lounge on Friday night was my new boss.
A string of unladylike expletives erupted in my head as he stood and approached Raya and me. His face was every bit as white as I imagined mine must have been.
Raye tugged me forward. “Owen, this is Elizabeth, who prefers to be called, Liz.”
Owen thrust out his hand to shake, but I held both of mine in the air, displaying the bandages. Raya was oblivious to the tension crackling back and forth between me and the man.
Owen raked his eyes over my body, no doubt also taking in the plasters on my knees, and a deep frown creased his forehead.
“What the hell happened? Come and sit down.”
